U. P. B. Sci. Bull., Series C, Vol. 69, No.

4, 2007 ISSN 1454-234x

ASPECTS REGARDING FOULING OF STEAM

CONDENSER - A CASE STUDY

Roxana GRIGORE 1*, Adrian BADEA2

The paper makes a point to effect of fouling to steam condenser. The

performance of the steam condenser is directly affected by fouling. It is presented a
case study of a condenser of steam turbine DSL 50-1. In the paper are calculated the
basic design heat transfer coefficient, the effective heat transfer coefficient and the
fouling resistance of condenser. The study shows a presence of tube fouling or the
presence of excessive amounts of air within the shell side of the condenser. The
conclusions of the study is that the real variation of condenser fouling resistance in
time is allied to variation presented in literature like saw-toothed fouling and for the
studied condenser it is necessary to realize a correct maintenance policy.

Keywords: fouling resistance, heat surface, basic design heat transfer coefficient,
effective heat transfer coefficient, steam condenser

1. Considerations about fouling of steam condensers

Fouling is the buildup of sediments and debris on the surface area of heat
exchangers that inhibits heat transfer. The fouling appearance go to increasing of
supplementary cost for the equipment over measure, supplementary energy
consumed, change of corroded material and the stop of the installation for the
maintenance activity[1]. In fossil power plant, the energy is supplied by
combustion of fuel, there will be additional “greenhouse gas” emission [2].
From hydraulic point of view, fouling increase the wall roughness and
fluid velocity. These go to larger drop pressure and increasing pumping energy.
From thermal point of view, fouling represents a resistance at heat
transfer in the equipment, and the overall heat transfer coefficient decrease and in
the same time, heat surface lowers.
The performance of the steam condenser is directly affected by fouling.
Fouling can restrict fluid flow in the condenser by narrowing the flow area.
Fouling tends to increase over time, the trajectory being very site specific.
Recognizing this, the Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association (TEMA)
recommends that designers of heat exchangers include an allowable fouling
resistance in their calculations, in order that some fouling can be tolerated before

1
Lecturer .eng. , University of Bacau , Romania (*Corresponding author)
2
Prof., Power Engineering Department, University “Politehnica” of Bucharest, Romania

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182 Roxana Grigore, Adrian Badea

cleaning must be undertaken. Heat Exchange Institute (HEI) standards also

include some fouling in their requirements for steam surface condensers [3]. In
most cases heat exchangers have 30-60% excess area to compensate for fouling.
However, this may even have an adverse effect on the rate of deposit
formation, if it results in low flow velocities or high surface temperature.
The fouling may be in the interior of the tubes or at the exterior of the
steam condenser tubes. The interior fouling can caused two problems:
• Low heat transfer capacity →reducing the efficiency of steam condenser
→lower vacuum →less efficient steam turbine operation ;
• Under –deposit corrosion→ through-wall leaks which permit cooling
water to enter into high purity steam condensate.
There are several types of fouling, each forming depending on the type of
fluid and conditions. The following are some of the more common fouling
mechanisms in steam condensers:
1. Crystallization fouling;
2. Particulate/Sedimentation fouling;
3. Corrosion fouling;
4. Biological fouling
5. Debris or macrofouling.
In most cases, fouling is not due to a single mechanism [1], however, in
many situations one mechanism will be dominant (fig. 1).

Fig. 1 Fouling on the brass tubes of steam condenser

Usually, thermal conductivity of fouling is very low comparative with

thermal conductivity of metal, and in majority cases, fouling resistance is greater
then film resistance of the either sides of the wall. The increased resistance in heat
transfer goes to decreased thermal load, leading to increased fuel. The porous
fouling deposits increase the surface roughness of the metal and this causing a
larger pressure drop.

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Aspects regarding fouling of steam condenser- a case study 183

2. Case study

2.1 Heat transfer in surface condenser

In virtue of exploitation data, the study realizes the computation of fouling

resistance at different times and different operating conditions for a condenser of
steam turbine DSL 50-1 from CET Bacau.
The condenser plays two important roles [1]:
• It converts the used steam back into water for return to the
steam generator as feedwater. This lowers the operational cost
of the power plant because the clean and treated condensate is
reused.
• It increases the cycle’s efficiency.
The condenser of the steam turbine DSL 50-1 is water cooled- steam
surface condenser with two-tube side passes [4]. The shell is fabricated
from carbon steel and contains the heat exchanger tubes. At the bottom of
the shell, where the condensate collects, an outlet is installed. A hotwell is
provided. Condensate is pumped from the hotwell for reuse as feedwater for
steam generator. The tube bundle and waterboxes are divided into two
sections.
The main heat transfer mechanism in a surface condenser is the
condensing of saturated steam on the outside of the tubes and the heating of
the circulating water inside the tubes. Thus for a given circulating water
flow rate, the water inlet temperature to the condenser determines the
operating pressure of the condenser. The condenser generates a vacuum
which increases the amount of energy extracted from the steam by the
turbine. The condenser also serves as a low-pressure collection point for
various vent and drain streams within the plant. Technical dates regarding
condenser of the steam turbine DSL 50-1 are in the table 1 [4].

Table 1
Technical dates regarding condenser of the steam turbine DSL 50-1
Name U.M. Value

In steam Fluid flow t/h 127,4

space
enthalpy kJ/kg 2319,598

Inlet static pressure bar 0,054

Cleanliness factor % 0,85

O2 maxim residual content mg/kg (14±2)*10-3

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184 Roxana Grigore, Adrian Badea

o
Outlet temperature for steam-air mixture C -

In Water quality - Filtrate untreated

cooling
o
water Inlet temperature C 20
space
Fluid flow m3/h 8000

Velocity m/s 1,7÷2

Pressure drop mH2O 3,6

o
General Minim difference between steam saturation C -
temperature and outlet water temperature

Passes number - 2

Tubes number - 5860

Heat exchange surface m2 3000

Hotwell capacity m3 1,4

The tubes are made from brass (70%Cu, 30%Ni). Inside tubes diameter is
23mm and outside tubes diameter is 25 mm. The shell’s internal vacuum is
supplied and maintained by an external steam jet ejector system. The exploitation
data utilized are mean values from six operating conditions, at different electric
loads and thermal loads (table 2).
Table 2
Data for study case
No. Names u.m. 1 2 3 4 5 6
1. Turbine steam t/h 322 324,6 228,6 277,5 183,3 327,3
inlet mass flow
o
2. Turbine steam C 546.5 537 544,8 532,5 530 544
inlet
temperature
3. Turbine steam ata 123,4 134,1 131,5 133,6 135,8 127,9
inlet pressure
o
4. Wet steam inlet C 32,4 37 34,5 38 35 36
temperature tb
o
5. Cooling water C 12 14,3 14,5 13 11,3 16
inlet
temperature ta1
o
6. Cooling water C 22,6 24,5 24,4 24,8 21,4 25,7
outlet
temperature
ta2

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Aspects regarding fouling of steam condenser- a case study 185

o
7. ∆t= ta2-ta1 C 10,6 10,2 9,9 11,8 10,1 9,7
o
8. δt=tb-ta2 C 9,8 12,5 10,1 13,2 13,6 11,7
o
9. Mean cooling C 17,3 19,4 19,45 18,9 16,35 20,85
water
temperature tam
10. Cooling water kg/m3 998,679 998,284 998,274 998,382 998,842 997,983
density ρ
11. Heat capacity at kJ/kgoC 4,18652 4,18479 4,18476 4,18518 4,18741 4,18379
constant
pressure cp
9. Cooling water m3/h 7085 7088,4 7083,2 7108,2 7054,1 7052,6
flow m &a
10. Measured MW 58 52,1 51 55 30 52,5
Electric Power

2.2. The computation of overall heat transfer coefficient for clean steam
surface

The overall heat transfer coefficient for clean steam surface of the
condenser is the basic design heat transfer coefficient.
The method applied is HEI (Heat exchange Institute) method [3]. The
relation is:

k = C × w × ϕ c × ϕ t × ϕ δ [W/m2oC] (1)

where w [m/s] is the average cooling water velocity inside tubes, C- diametral
tube constant, C × w is heat transfer factor (HEI C factor) at 70 F (21oC), φc –
dimensionless cleanliness factor, φt – dimensionless correction factor for inlet
cooling water temperature, φδ –dimensionless correction factor for tube material
and gauge.

C = 2458 − 5,512 × d ext (2)

where dext [mm] is outside tube diameter.

φc =0,85, for cooper alloys. (3)

For the determination of φt it is next relationship:

2 3
t  t  t 
ϕt = 0, 604113 + 0,174847  a1  + 0, 03751 a1  − 0, 015046  a1  (4)
 10   10   10 

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186 Roxana Grigore, Adrian Badea

φδ=1, for brass tube with thickness < 1,25mm.

The average cooling water velocity inside tubes w [m/s] can be determined from
continuity equation:
m&
wa = a (5)
Sc
2
π × ( d int )
where Sc = × n [m2] is the transfer area, dint [mm] – inside tubes
4 × ntr
diameter, ntr=2 number of passes, n=5860 number of tubes.

2.3. The computation of effective heat transfer coefficient

The effective heat transfer coefficient for a steam condenser may be

calculated from the Fourier equation:

m& a × ρ × c p × ( ta 2 − ta1 )
kef = [W/m2oC] (6)
S × ∆tmed

where S [m2] is the heat exchange surface and ∆tmed is log mean temperature
difference.
∆thigh − ∆tlow
∆tmed = (7)
∆thigh
ln
∆tlow
∆thigh is the higher terminal temperature difference; ∆tlow is the lower terminal
temperature difference in accordance with the configuration condenser.
∆thigh = tb − ta1 ; ∆tlow = tb − ta 2

2.4. The determination of fouling resistance

Having established the value of kef, it is then compared with the basic
design heat transfer coefficient (kc), adjusted for any deviation in fluid flows from
the original design values [5]. The fouling resistance may be calculated from;
1 1
Rf = − [m2 oC / W ] (8)
kef kc
The value of Rf calculated using equation (8) represents the effect of
fouling on both the insides and outsides of the tubes.

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Aspects regarding fouling of steam condenser- a case study 187

2.5. The values calculated

The values calculated are presented in the next table:

Table 3
Values calculated for the heat transfer rate and fouling resistance
No. Names u.m. 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 Sc m2 1,205 1,205 1,205 1,205 1,205 1,205
2 wa m/s 1,633 1,634 1,626 1,639 1,626 1,642
3 C - 2320 2320 2320 2320 2320 2320
4 φc - 0,85 0,85 0,85 0,85 0,85 0,85
5 φt - 0,842 0,887 0,858 0,862 0,828 0,918
6 φδ - 1 1 1 1 1 1
7 kc W/m2oC 2122 2236 2157 2176 2082 2321
o
8 ∆tmed C 14,458 17,096 14,491 18,476 18,124 14,617
9 kef W/m2oC 2011 1636 1872 1756 1522 1809
10 Rf m2oC/W 2,602*10- 1,64*10- 1,353*10- 1,098*10- 1,767*10- 1,215*10-
5 4 5 4 4 4

The diagram from fig.2 presents the real variation of condenser fouling
resistance in time. The moments of time are the moments when exploitation data
was collected.

Variation of fouling resistance in time

marimea
25
fouling resistance*10-5 [m2grdC/W]

20

15

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5
time[months]

Fig. 2 Real variation of fouling resistance in time

3rd International Conference on Energy and Environment

22-23 November 2007, Bucharest, Romania
188 Roxana Grigore, Adrian Badea

3. Conclusions

The real variation of condenser fouling resistance in time is allied to

variation presented in literature [1], variation named saw-toothed fouling. To
improve confidence in these calculations, it is also important that kc be verified
from test conducted after the steam condenser has just been cleaned. In the
presented case, the used exploitation data was from three months after the
cleaning of steam condenser. Because of this, it is represented in diagram the
superior allure of the real variation saw-toothed fouling.
Researchers established for δt and ∆t the next recommended value: δt=
(6÷7) oC and ∆t= (10÷12)oC. Values for δt are greater then recommendation
values. These values are due to the presence of tube fouling or the presence of
excessive amounts of air within the shell side of the condenser.
Condenser tube fouling has been found to have a significant impact on
condenser performance and on CO2 emissions [2].
Because of these, it is necessary to put into effect a correct maintenance
policy for steam condenser. For the application of this policy, there are a lot of
technologies which remove fouling and deposits from condenser tubes and
identify the location of air and water in leakage into the condenser [6].

REFERENCES

[1]. A. Badea , H. Necula , M. Stan , L. Ionescu, P. Blaga., G. Darie, Echipamente şi instalaţii

termice, Editura Tehnică, Bucureşti, 2003
[2] T.Casanueva-Robles, T.R. Bott, The environmental effect of heat exchanger fouling. A case
study, ECI Symposium Series, Volume RP2: Proceedings of 6th International Conference on Heat
Exchanger Fouling and Cleaning, Germany, june 5-10 2005
[3] *** HEI 9th Edition of Standards for Steam Surface Condenser, 1995
[4] ICEMENERG, Instrucţiuni de exploatare pentru DSL 50-1, Bucuresti, 1988
[5] R. Grigore , Referat de doctorat nr.3, Modelarea şi simularea condensatorului turbinei de abur
DSL 50-1, Facultatea de Energetica, Universitatea Politehnica Bucuresti
[6] R.Putman , Optimizing the cleaning of Heat Exchangers, CONCO SYSTEMS,INC

3rd International Conference on Energy and Environment

22-23 November 2007, Bucharest, Romania